Identifying "protected funds" in a joint account

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Question:

When we receive a garnishment order identifying a judgment debtor who has a joint account at our credit union, and there are federal benefits that have been direct deposited for both of the joint owners of the account, which of those direct deposits do we treat as “protected funds”?

Answer:

You include all of the direct deposits of federal benefits payments to the account or accounts during the two-month lookback period, regardless of whose benefits they are. The lesser of the total of those benefits payments or the balance of the accounts that received the benefits payments will be the “protected funds” amount.